Suzuki slams safe cars list

Small car specialist Suzuki has slammed the Victorian government for ignoring safe new cars in its controversial list of the safest cars under $15,000.

June 23 2010

Matt Campbell

The Suzuki Alto has been left off the Victorian governments safe car list despite it's high safety rating

A major car maker has joined the criticism of the Victorian Government’s controversial list of cars recommended as being safe for young drivers.

The list recommends cars with no airbags or anti-lock brakes – features the Government recommends as part of its road safety campaign – yet ignores newer cars that are fitted with more safety features as standard.

It also ignores the new breed of smaller cars, many of which are offered with potentially life-saving items such as curtain airbags.

The Suzuki Alto is one of Australia’s cheapest new cars on the market; it’s also one of the safest small cars on the road, but, controversially, it has been left off the safe car list compiled by the Victorian government.

Suzuki general manager Tony Devers says the list of used cars – which includes just a couple of cars that match the Alto’s safety credentials – defies logic.

“While Suzuki applauds any effort to help lower the road toll, I’m amazed the list was restricted only to used cars,” Devers was quoted as saying in a media release.

As Drive has previously reported, the list, which was released yesterday, aims to help both parents and young drivers in choosing a safe second-hand car for under $15,000.

But Devers is stumped by the government’s apparent short-sightedness in only suggesting pre-loved cars. “Parents wanting a safe car for their children can purchase a new Suzuki Alto – with six airbags and [stability control] as standard – for only $12,990 drive-away.”

Another aspect of the list that has also been questioned is that it failed to take into consideration the importance of safety systems such as electronic stability control – which can potentially be a life-saving tool in the event of a skid.

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“Is this the same government that is the first in Australia to make ESP mandatory on all cars?” Devers asked, referring to the Victorian government’s 2011 target forcing car makers to fit the vehicle control system credited with reducing single vehicle crashes by at least 30 per cent.

“On one hand the government is spending hundreds of thousands of dollars urging consumers to buy a car with six airbags and ESP,” says Devers.

“On the other hand it now promotes a register where only a handful of the 50 cars listed even has six airbags. The list is also skewed towards larger cars (there are 20 large examples as opposed to just 12 small cars and 17 medium), which Devers points out are thirstier than newer, smaller vehicles.

“What sort of message does it send when you promote a used car that produces more than 250 grams of CO2 per kilometre, but don’t include new cars like the Alto that makes just 110 grams?” Devers ponders.

“They could have eliminated the large cars and still come up with a good bunch of cars,” Ammodio told Drive.

“The government keeps telling us that speed kills, and this is a lot of power to put in the hands of young drivers. A medium-sized car such as a Toyota Camry has all the space and power any young driver should need.”